Chapter 9

Located at the crossroads of the Fire, Wind, and Earth kingdoms, Amegakure, in its struggle for territory and resources, saw its leader, Hanzo of the Salamander, proactively declare war on neighboring major powers. His targets included not only the Land of Iron and Sunagakure, but also Konoha—a radical action that directly ignited the Second Shinobi World War.

As the war intensified, Konoha ninja launched a massive invasion of Amegakure. Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru engaged in a fierce battle with Hanzo of Amegakure. Although the three were no match for him, their indomitable fighting spirit moved Hanzo. After the war, the name "Konoha Legendary Sannin" resounded throughout the ninja world.

The war quickly escalated into a multi-national battleground. Chiyo, the top-tier puppeteer of Sunagakure, clashed with Hanzo multiple times, ultimately discovering the fatal weakness of Hanzo's summoning beast, the Salamander, forcing Hanzo to retreat. Meanwhile, a fierce conflict erupted between Iwagakure and Kumogakure within the Land of Earth, with the Third Raikage fighting ten thousand Iwagakure ninja alone to cover his comrades' retreat, ultimately succumbing to exhaustion. The battlefield between the Land of Fire and the Land of Wind reached a stalemate—Chiyo's prized poison techniques were countered by Tsunade's medical ninjutsu, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides with no clear victor.

Amidst the flames of war, a group of rising ninja stars emerged. "Konoha's White Fang," Hatake Sakumo, struck fear into the hearts of both sides with his heroic act of slaying Chiyo's son and daughter-in-law from Sunagakure; Kato Dan used his clan's secret technique, "Spirit Transformation," to traverse the battlefield and gather crucial intelligence for Konoha; while young ninjas like Namikaze Minato, Uchiha Fugaku, and Senju Nawaki, though still young, had already shown the potential to become Special Jonin, their promotion merely a matter of time.

There's another thing I heard from Lord Orochimaru, who had just returned from Amegakure. Hearing that Lord Jiraiya had stayed in Amegakure to take care of the children displaced by the war, Orochimaru coldly mocked, "I might as well just kill those three children myself, so they won't suffer in this world."

Xue twitched her lips. She really wanted to thank you on behalf of those three children.

According to rumors circulating in Nara, the years of war have depleted the resources of various nations, and the number of ninja casualties is staggering. Whether it's Konoha's granaries, Sunagakure's iron mines, or Kumogakure's Lightning Release scrolls, consumable resources like ninjas are nearing their limits. While the various factions haven't explicitly stated it, a ceasefire agreement might be signed this year.

-

The night stretched out like silk, and the bright moonlight gently shone on the Uchiha clan's land, making the layers of snow piled on the eaves appear as white as jade. The entire Hidden Leaf Village was quietly covered by this pure snow color.

Xue rubbed her sleepy eyes. Feeling thirsty in the middle of the night, she got up to get a drink of water. She had only taken a few steps when she felt a chill. She was surprised to find that it had started snowing without her noticing.

The outside world is covered in snow. I wonder if Minato-senpai saved Nawaki-kun?

As she was thinking this, she didn't notice the figure that had quietly appeared behind her.

"Xiaoxue, why aren't you asleep yet?" A gentle voice sounded from behind.

Xue instinctively replied, "I'm a little thirsty." The words had barely left her mouth when she suddenly realized—her house had been broken into! Alarm bells rang in her head instantly.

Minato Namikaze reacted incredibly quickly, dodging the sharp blade that grazed his eye with a swift step back. He couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time; "They really went all out," he thought. "Was it because I just woke up and only just realized what was happening?"

With a "bang," the shuriken fell heavily to the ground.

"Minato-senpai...! Are you alright...?" Yuki exclaimed in surprise, then quickly covered her mouth. Had she been too loud?! Mom, Dad, and Obito were still home!

She hurriedly grabbed Minato Namikaze's hand, and before returning to her room, she bent down to pick up the shuriken that had fallen to the ground.

At that moment, Obito Uchiha, who was staying at the Yuki family's house, came out of his room after hearing the noise. He looked at the empty living room, yawned, and then turned back to his room to continue sleeping.

Inside the room, Minato Namikaze looked around at the room's decor.

The room was simply decorated, with a blue and white wooden bed covered in soft, fluffy bedding. Several cute plush toys sat on the bedside table—a teddy bear and an adorable little rabbit—neatly arranged as if guarding Xue's dreams. Pale blue wallpaper with star and moon patterns adorned the walls, shimmering softly in the dim moonlight. A few sprigs of trimmed lilacs bloomed by the window, emitting a delicate fragrance. This arrangement was perfectly suited to a girl Xue's age. Half a head shorter than herself, the girl wore a fluffy pajama set for warmth, yet it couldn't conceal her slender figure.

Minato Namikaze frowned slightly. Too thin... Yuki.

Xue rubbed her forehead and looked at the boy in front of her who was much taller than her. He was wearing a thin blue long-sleeved shirt and black trousers, and his figure looked rather thin.

"Aren't you cold, senpai?" Xue asked with concern, taking a coat from the wardrobe and gently draping it over Minato's shoulders. Minato looked at her with a beaming smile.

"But Minato-senpai...! How can you just use the Flying Thunder God Technique like that...? What if Mom and Dad find out?"

"It wasn't casual, I just missed Xiaoxue. I rushed back as soon as I finished the mission in Sand Village." Minato Namikaze's eyes crinkled with laughter. "Is that not allowed?"

What...you...missed me! Xue's face turned bright red instantly. In that instant, she felt like a steam engine, with heat rising straight up.

She's really... easy to fool... and so cute.

Minato Namikaze couldn't help but chuckle at her adorable appearance. He wasn't actually used to lying; even when he was internally lying, he would subconsciously look away. He had actually taken a shower before coming, and while he might be easy to fool, he genuinely had something to discuss with Yuki.

His gaze fell on the family photo on the bedside table. In the photo, the two people, a boy and a girl, dressed in Jonin uniforms, looked exactly like the ones he had seen after school that day. The girl between them was smiling brightly, while Yuki, usually, had a detached expression, as if she were indifferent to everything. Although she was always clinging to Uchiha Mikoto, Minato Namikaze always felt that she seemed to be thinking about something that would most likely happen in the future.

Minato Namikaze thought to himself: "Yuki really is a bad child who clings to her parents' love... She's already lost both her parents at her age. They don't even have a photograph left..."

However, if this photo were a picture of him and Xiaoxue together, it would actually be quite fitting.

Xue noticed that his gaze was fixed on the group photo, and in the night, his bright blue eyes made her feel a little uneasy.

"Why does it feel like Yuki is afraid of me?" Minato Namikaze asked softly, his gaze gently falling on Yuki's face.

Xue frowned and subconsciously shook her head.

Minato Namikaze reached out and gently stroked Yuki's face. The cool moonlight streamed through the glass window, illuminating the girl's profile; her obsidian-like eyes seemed to be looking through him at everyone else. Minato's brow furrowed slightly; he didn't like this feeling, but a gentle smile remained on his face as he said, "Nawaki's alright. It's because the Sand Village's explosive tags were set with special chakra that Nawaki accidentally stepped on them. Fortunately, Jiraiya-sama and I were nearby at the time, and the mission was perfectly accomplished."

Xue was stunned for a moment. That's it? She was saved so easily?

"I'm a little curious, though, how did Yuki know... Nawaki would be in danger?" Minato Namikaze stared sharply at Yuki. Yuki clearly knew nothing about the battlefield, yet she seemed to foresee Nawaki's peril. If he hadn't used the Flying Thunder God Technique, Tsunade, who had placed such high hopes on Nawaki, would probably have been devastated. Orochimaru's expression at the time didn't reveal anything. Those explosive tags from that device—stepping on them would probably blow your body to pieces, your internal organs scattered everywhere.

However... given Rope Tree's reckless nature, he couldn't possibly be there to protect him at all times.

Yuki's eyes flickered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. She bit her lip and softly said the excuse she had prepared beforehand, "Minato-senpai, I... I had a very strange dream. In the dream, Nawaki was surrounded by flames and explosions. When I woke up, I felt panicked, like something bad was going to happen, so I..."

Minato Namikaze looked at her silently, his azure eyes as dark as a dead sea, devoid of any movement. He slowly spoke, "Xue, dreams are sometimes wondrous things, but they don't necessarily represent what will actually happen. But this time, it's fortunate that you 'dreamed' about it, otherwise..." He paused, not finishing his sentence, but Xue could sense the heaviness hidden in his words.

Yuki raised her head, looked directly into Minato Namikaze's eyes, and said earnestly, "Minato-senpai, I know that dreams aren't necessarily real, but I just can't help worrying. It's like... it's like how I worry that my parents will get hurt every time they go out on a mission."

Minato Namikaze gently patted Yuki's head: "Yuki is a very kind and sentimental child." His fingertips lingered on her hair for a moment, "But you must believe that your father, mother, and Nawaki are all ninjas who have experienced the flames of war—even if their branches are broken by wind and rain, they will turn into spring mud to protect Konoha."

"Xiaoxue, the Third Hokage once said that..."

"Where the leaves dance in the air, the fire will never be extinguished."

"So even if they die in battle, their will to protect Konoha will be inherited by their descendants."

Xue didn't quite agree with that, but while one hand remained stroking her face, his other hand grasped her wrist. He pressed his forehead against hers. The fine strands of blond hair tickled Xue's eyes, and she couldn't help but squint. The next second, the touch of his lips brushing against her cheek was as light as a snowflake falling.

Xue was stunned.

Minato-senpai kissed her... Yuki was still a little taken aback, although she felt that the kiss on the cheek was mostly comforting.

"This is a thank you gift for fulfilling Yuki's request..." Minato took a half step back, the tips of his ears flushing a suspicious red in the moonlight, yet he stubbornly kept his eyes locked on hers. "Is that alright?"

Yuki felt her cheeks burning hot enough to ignite an explosive tag. In her panic, she didn't even notice her hair slipping off her shoulder: "Minato-senpai kissed you before you asked..." Before she could finish speaking, her other cheek was kissed as well.

"Next time, I'll definitely apply for the permit in advance."

Under the moonlight, Minato Namikaze's handsome features captivated Yuki. Yuki buried her burning face in her palms. Through the moonlight filtering through her fingers, she could still feel the warmth of Minato's touch on her wrist.

"Minato-senpai..."

"What's wrong?"

Yuki buried her face in her hands, her voice muffled: "Minato-senpai, can you wait for me to grow up?"

If... since Rope Tree survived, then... could she also fall in love with Minato Namikaze, or even go a little further?

Is it possible for her to be with Minato-senpai, like doing things other than kissing on the cheek?

Yuki raised her head and looked at Minato Namikaze.

Under the cover of night, Minato Namikaze was at a loss for words. Moonlight bathed her, and her almond-shaped eyes, looking upwards, were incredibly bright, locking onto his gaze. He nodded somewhat nervously: "It's fine."

He was the one who initiated the conversation, so why is he more nervous now?

Yuki took a deep breath and took Minato Namikaze's hand.

Their fingers were intertwined, and their obsidian-clear eyes gazed at the somewhat flustered azure eyes.

"When I grow up, please let me be Minato-senpai's wife!"